Janice is from the United Kingdom and her boys use the sweet moniker, Mum-mum (mum’s mum) for her mother.
I never gave much thought to it until my friends started becoming grandparents as well. Then I began hearing different titles. I was surprised to learn that unless you are from the south Jersey/Philadelphia area, MomMom is not that common.
Grandmother Names
What do your grandchildren call you?
Perhaps it is a name from your heritage. Or maybe your grandchild came up with a name of their own making.
I would love to hear the endearing names your grandchildren call you. If you are not a grandparent, what do/did you call your grandparents? And if you would, please share…
- Where you are from?
- How that special name came to be?
- How many grandchildren do you have?
- How many grandparents you or your children currently have?
Any Other Grandmother Name Would Sound As Sweet!
Here are some Traditional Grandmother Names:
- GiGi
- Gram
- Gramma
- Grammy
- Grams
- Grammy
- Grandma
- Grandmama
- Grandmom
- Grandmother
- Grannie or Granny
- Ma or Maw
- Mamo
- MawMaw
- Mema
- Memaw
- Mom-Mom
- Nana
- Nanny
Grandmother Names in Other Languages
- Chinese: NaiNai
- Filipino: Lola
- Flemish: Bomma
- French: Grandmere
- French Canadian: Meme
- German: Oma
- Greek: YaYa
- Hawaiian: Tutu
- Hebrew: Savta
- Italian: Nonna
- Japanese: Oba-chan
- Korean: Halmoni
- Polish: Busia
- Portuguese: VoVo
- Russian: Babushka
- Spanish: Abuela
- Yiddish: Bube
Grandchildren and grandparents
Here are some amazing thoughts about grandchildren/grandparents I found:
- There are about 70 million grandparents in the US today, and each month 75,000 Americans 45-69 years old join the club. The number of grandparents is expected to grow to 80 million by 2010
The grandparent/grandchild relationship is second in emotional importance only to the parent/child relationship.
Some research shows that as many as 9 out of 10 adult grandchildren feel their grandparents influenced their values and behaviors.
Fewer than 50% of adolescents in 1900 had two or more grandparents alive. By 1976 that figure had grown to almost 90%.
Today, an American at birth is expected to live 76 years compared to 47 years in 1900 — an additional 29 years. Most of today’s grandchildren will have most or all of their grandparents survive at least during part of their childhood and adolescence, and many will have surviving grandparents well into their adult years. At age 30, 75% of people will have at least one surviving grandparent.
More Stats on Grandchildren and grandparents
Today, over 13% of the US population is 65 years or older. By the year 2030, 1 in every 5 Americans will be over 65, totaling 70 million. For the first time in history, there will be more people of grandparent age than children and youth. These older adults can have a tremendous impact on society by choosing to be active grandparents and mentor younger generations.
About 1/3 of the adult US population are grandparents. More than 70% of middle-aged and older people will become grandparents. A considerable number of grandparents will live long enough to become great-grandparents — and some will even become great-great-grandparents.
The average age of becoming a grandparent is 50 years for women and a couple of years older for men.
Today’s grandparents may range in age from 30 to 110, and grandchildren range from newborns to retirees.
Most grandparents have multiple (5 to 6 on average) grandchildren.
If you have or are expecting grandchildren, you might also like…
Printable Lunch Box Notes and Cards
Grandma’s Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 
Knitted Headbands and Ear Warmers
Baby Sock Rose Bud Flower Bouquet
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Hi I live in Blackpool UK. My grandchildren call me Nanna. As they’re getting older they call me Nan. I have got nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Hello Kay,
Nanna is a sweet name and I also like Nan. I haven’t any great-grandchildren yet, just 13 grandchildren. Blessings to you all!
I am not familiar with Blackpool but I did have two delightful trips to London. The first trip was in 2016 with my husband as we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Two years later we returned with two of our daughters and oldest grandson. Both times we met up with a sweet couple we met via our blogs. I wish the Atlantic ocean didn’t make it so expensive to visit more often. I loved every moment there!
Kindly, Lorraine
Hi! I am from South Africa, but my gran was from Holland. We called her Ma, short for Ouma, which literally means “old mother”. My children call their gran “Gogo”, which is the Zulu name for Gran.
Thanks for an interesting post.
Amanda
Hello Amanda, So happy to have you stop by for a visit and for leaving your comment! I love learning about these names for grandmother in other cultures!
Kindly, Lorraine
LOVED this post~
how neat to read all of the
different names for Grandma!!!
With Much Love~ Miss Jen
Oh how lovely of you to make a feature of my comments! What a lovely post, this is why I love your blog, all those different names from different countries, thanks for sharing this. But it doesn't matter what you call your grandparents because it's the special relationship that really counts.
What a fun (and very informative) post!
I'm "gramma" to my three grandbabies (Elijah, Charlotte & Penelope). I've just always liked how gramma sounds & looks ~ no particular reason.
Here in Maryland I hear mom-mom & pop-pop a lot. Elijah's other grandparents go by those names and my boss & his wife do too!
My children are blessed to have two grandparents still living ~ my mom and my husband's dad. My children have called my mom several different names over the years. Too many to go into here. But you can read about them at this link if you're interesed.
https://spunbyme.blogspot.com/2008/08/g-g-ma-better-known-to-me-as-mom.html
Thanks again for a fun post!
PS ~ I love your blog too!
Growing up I called my father's parents Oma and Opa. They were all from Germany and it was so easy to continue that tradition when I had children. Only my mother, who is Italian, didn't want to be called Oma. She wanted the traditional Grandma. So we taught Olivia to say Opa and Grandma. BUT, she on her own decided that Grandma should be Oma and my mother is now an Oma to all 7 of her grandchildren. The sweetest word I miss so much are my children calling their Opa. When my dad was so sick in the hospital, on the ventilator, but so aware of everything around him I brought my kids to see him. They each sat on his hospital bed holding a hand for over an hour. Just talking to him and he squeezing their hands in response. I had a few people criticize me for having them visit him and seeing him like that, but I know how much he loved them and they loved him and I know in my heart that it made him happy.
What a sweet post. Thank you!
Hello and thank you so much for checking in with me from time to time. I am doing pretty well, and have been gearing up to return to blogging. (You'd be surprised how difficult it is to jump back in.) It's so nice to know others care about you. I am always so happy to read your comments.
Thanks again, Michelle
Oh, and my children are lucky to have 3 grandparents. They call them Nana & Papa.
I do not have grandchildren yet. My children call my mother Reetsy. Her name is Rita and when she was a girl Reetsy is what her father called her. She wanted her grandchildren to call her that as well. It's as if things have come around into a circle.